(Lack of) Transparency

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Louise Ellman, Chair of the Transport Select Committee, tries to justify HS2’s costs by using a vastly misleading comparison with Crossrail. Here’s the reality.

Francis Maude: Minister for Hypocrisy

Francis Maude in 2012 promotes transparency of government, then in 2013 tries to prevent a government report from being published that says HS2 is in danger of failing

Post navigation

senior railway workers do not accept the proposal for hs2. Considered designed in a goldfish bowl and over zealous mps wanting undistrurbed journeys. Selfish approach of low priority given population outstripping other facilities and services.

ecml leeds to london currentlly 30min slower than warrington to london. For 2 billion add through station fast lines and the saving is 48 billion. Add Sandy to birmingham for 4 billion to remove coventry bottle neck and a bargain at 6 billion. Hs2 too land take intensive and extreme environment social and capital impacts. Christmas wishes for new objectiveness in 2014 by mps

The Transport Commission responsible for this “catch-up with the rest of Europe” debacle has a reputation of under-investment in the infrastucture we are now having to contend with. Let’s take the North Kent line where I am unfortunate to live next to. Whose dumb idea was it to run Javelin trains on a victorian laid system? The noise is excrutiating to those living within earshot. Rail travel is out-of-date !!!! Take a look at France especially Bordeaux. We need a different approach to travel in the future and HS2 is an expensive White Elephant. The public is going to underwrite huge losses from the operation of HS2 just for a few minutes gained on commuter journeys. It can be no surprise that the people to gain from this benefit will be Civil Servants, especially those incumbents of the House of Commons and the House of Lords – I leave it to you what one calls this. What needs to be done is for the commuter to point his grubby finger at the real culprit for his life of agony – i,e, eton boy network of incompetance and privilege that is increasing in this despoiled country. The future is private travel not public – grub-up existing railways and turn them into electric car roads – the French know the answer- if you can’t lead then follow them. this Government doesn’t have a clue.

Aye, ‘Grub them up’ indeed, all of them…I take it to include all the city region Underground, Metro and commuter lines serving densely populated urban and suburban areas. Also, in case you have not noticed these recently revived tramways and light rail systems all -shock horror -operate on those steel rails, so clearly they too must go. Salute the brave new world of untrammelled individual freedom and mobility- provided that you are sufficiently ruthless and rich enough- and so long as , at journey’s end, somebody else hasn’t already pinched your parking place.